Tag Archive for: advice

Burnout Isn’t “Their Issue”: Changing Our Behaviours to Benefit Us All

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By Nneka Orji

For many, burnout is a familiar concept; its association with emotional exhaustion and reduced motivation is widely acknowledged.

Burnout

Image via Shutterstock

However those most vulnerable to burnout are more likely to take a “not me” approach, assuming that burnout is something which others suffer from. However, with studies such as that commissioned by Virgin last year which found that just over half of full-time employees in the UK have suffered from anxiety or burnout, individuals and business leaders can no longer see burnout as an infrequent occurrence to be dealt with by someone else. The scale of burnout and its implications – including low levels of engagement – now calls for a much more concerted effort to ensure work environments and organisational cultures mitigate against the risk of burnout and allow all employees to thrive throughout their careers. It can’t be seen as “their issue” – it impacts us all.
Someone who has taken burnout very personally is Arianna Huffington – founder of Huffington Post who recently set up Thrive Global. Following her burnout experience in 2007 as she was setting up Huffington Post, she took a particular interest in the impact of burnout on her life and the lives of others. “For far too long we have been operating under a collective delusion that burning out is the necessary price for achieving success. This couldn’t be less true.” In her recent interview, Arianna talks about the importance of sleep (and nutrition and exercise) in achieving a healthy and successful lifestyle, and some of the key changes organisations need to make to ensure that mitigating burnout doesn’t sit solely in HR departments but with each business leader and every employee.
It isn’t just a nice to have; being able to manage the risk of burnout and perceptions of burnout directly influence an organisation’s ability to recruit (particularly millennials) and impacts the bottom line. According to Gallup’s recent survey, 24% of German employees interviewed felt “tired or burned out” and 12% said they had dealt with mental or emotional stress including burnout and depression in the preceding 12 months. As a result, employees are taking sick days and working less effectively which Gallup estimates to be costing German employers 9 billion euros in lost productivity each year. With economists highlighting the increasing global productivity gap, business leaders and policy makers should be addressing all aspects negatively impacting productivity – including burnout. Where employees felt that their organisations cared about their overall wellbeing were less likely to feel stressed and burned out, and therefore likely to be more engaged and more productive.
Looking beyond productivity at diversity, another top agenda item in leadership discussions, addressing burnout is also an important aspect when considering workforce gender diversity. Last year Cosmopolitan surveyed over 750 women; with over half of the respondents saying they “obsessed over work” even after working hours and a third (71%) suffering from anxiety and panic attacks at some point, the survey suggested that today’s female workforce had become “generation burnout”. However this isn’t unique to women; research published in 2010 in the Journal of Vocational Behaviour challenged the widely-held belief that women are more likely to suffer from burnout than their male colleagues. Instead the research found that women are more likely to be emotionally exhausted, while men are more likely to be “somewhat more depersonalised” – both signs associated with burnout.
Burnout affects our colleagues, our organisational cultures and our economies. Surely we should each be doing more to challenge the status quo? Yes working effectively and sometimes longer than we would like is sometimes necessary, but it should not be the norm.
We can all play a proactive role in changing the association of unsustainable hours with success. And we do that by spotting the signs of burnout – in others and in ourselves, speaking up to ensure we change the culture and ensure the well-being of our colleagues, and role modelling the right behaviours.
1. Spotting the signs
It’s important to know the signs you should be looking out for and how you identify those colleagues most at risk of burnout. While not all burnout leads to employees quitting, the behaviours demonstrated by those burned out and those quitting are similar. According to Timothy Gardner and Peter Hom, following detailed research on the topic of quitting, there are 13 key signs to look out for – including decreased productivity, reduced focus on job related matters, and expressing dissatisfaction with their supervisors more frequently than usual.
While most of us complain from time to time about tiredness, exhaustion and significant disengagement are very different. By being aware of these 13 behaviours (and more), we are not only better positioned to support the burned out individual in what is a challenging period, we are also able to be more cognisant of the impact his or her behaviours impact the rest of the team.
2. Holding up the mirror
Of course it is much easier to observe these behaviours in others, but we must also be able to spot these behaviours in ourselves. Particularly for top performers who always want to give 100% and sometimes see themselves as invincible to the stresses of work life, it is important to pause and ask if one’s pace is sustainable.
3. Speaking up
Once we have identified the signs of burnout, we must take action and the first step is to talk about it. Ignoring the real challenge of burnout and hoping that one good night’s sleep will address the exhaustion is far from realistic. By talking with colleagues who have been affected by burnout, we are able to address it head on.
Arianna Huffington first started speaking up about burnout after her own personal experiences and has since reached millions of employees – and students who will go into the workforce. When asked about why she has been so proactive in getting the message out to millions of people, Arianna talked about the importance of changing perceptions for the next generation so they are able to associate success with sleep-rich careers.  Sweeping it under the carpet will only lead to the next generation emulating poor behaviours.
4. Being a role model
Finally, role modelling the behaviours is critical. Talking about burnout and how we want to change it will have very little impact if each and every one of us doesn’t commit to changing our behaviours. This isn’t easy – bad habits die hard. However, if we are to enjoy fulfilling careers over the long term, and ensure the next generation of leaders have healthier lifestyles, then we must respond to this call to action.
 
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A New Vocabulary For Your Daughters: Three ways we can instill confidence, resilience, and grit

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 Guest contributed by Dr. Priscilla G. Sands 

Leadership

Image via Shutterstock

Reaching a position of leadership, no matter your industry, requires hard work, perseverance, and resilience. How can it be made easier for the next generation to reach their potential? Perhaps we can start by simply by being mindful of the words we use.
As we prepare the young women in our lives for their future, we need to assemble a new “guidebook” to help them in their quest towards lives of purpose and meaning. We know this depends in large part on one’s internal grit and determination, and we all need to allow young women to self-advocate and to set their own goals while at the same time provide authentic mentorship.  

As the Head of School at Marlborough School, an all-girls middle and high school, we believe in a community that is free from the barriers and biases that can hold many women back. I am so proud of our graduates, women who break molds and shatter stereotypes while leaving a positive and lasting impact on the world around them.  
After spending nearly three decades in education, most of them in girls’ schools, I am often asked for my advice on raising confident, competent young women.

Here are three key suggestions for talking to the young woman in our lives:

 

1. DON’T tell her she’s smart. This is hollow statement that she will come to doubt when she faces adversity or challenge. It is a sure way for her to bump her head on the glass ceiling. Not only will she not believe you, she won’t be motivated to strive for more.
 
I know this seems counter-intuitive, particularly for high achievers, but for just that reason they may give up when faced with a difficult problem, rather than struggle through it and wrestle with new ideas and concepts. Being wrong is also part of being smart. So instead of simply stating what you see as a fact, but which is likely to be viewed with skepticism or indifference on the part of the young woman, I suggest an alternative.

DO tell her that you love the way she approaches challenging problems. Encourage her to stay with it and praise her willingness to keep working. She will develop a thirst and appetite for the puzzle and the question rather than simply the answer. Share examples of times when you struggled but ultimately succeeded in meeting a goal. Remind her that many of the greatest accomplishments take time and diligence to achieve as well as significant failure along the way.

2. DON’T refer to her or other women or girls as bossy. Too often girls are given the message that women in charge are disliked, which discourages their pursuit of leadership opportunities.  The most successful women were often told they were bossy along the way. In fact, rid your vocabulary of all gender-loaded words.

DO empower her to take on leadership opportunities where she can and use her voice to also empower others. Women reaching out to other women is a powerful chain of empowerment.
Look for opportunities to ask her advice or opinion. Discuss the process you use for leading, being candid with the way you balance the feedback of the team and the objectives of the project.

3. DON’T tell her she’s a math person…or a language person…There is no such thing and that’s a fact. This kind of language is limiting. It suggests that a woman is only one thing, that she can’t be good at both math and linguistics and soccer and painting. As a result, she may be hesitant to explore new avenues. In this century she should not be locking into an academic or intellectual binary, but should be nimble and engaged in many fields and ways of thinking.

DO help her learn that abilities are developed through commitment and hard work, two building blocks for accomplishment. Nothing happens if you don’t try. Risk being vulnerable yourself and learn something new together. Take a poetry class, learn a new language, or learn to code. You can share the process of learning (complete with your frustrations) and have the opportunity to demonstrate your own strategies for perseverance. This provides an opportunity to make memories and give both of you the chance to try something new, and have fun doing so.
Finally, though not really a “do” or “don’t,” I think the most important thing we can do for the young women in our lives is actively listen to them and demonstrate that they matter, they are valued, and they are respected.
 
Dr. Priscilla G. Sands 
Since 2015 Dr. Sands has been head of Marlborough School in Los Angeles, CA. Prior to this appointment Dr. Sands held leadership roles, from Assistant Head of School to Head of School and ultimately as President at Springside School in Philadelphia, later known as the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. At this institution Dr. Sands established the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, a program focused on helping students build the skills and mindset required for success in the 21st century. Dr. Sands continues to be a champion of education and wellness and is currently working on the creation of a Mindfulness Program based on the work of Dr. Martin Seligman.

Dr. Sands earned a B.F.A. from the University of Rhode Island, a Master’s in Liberal Studies from Villanova and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views of our Guest contributors are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com

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Changing Industry Stereotypes Can Increase Women in STEM

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People waiting for an interviewDo we really have to paint a picture to make the serious under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields any clearer? YES, decided the faculty at New Jersey Institute of Technology, who have released the infograph, “Are Stereotypes Keeping Women Away from Science?”

Paint a picture it does. A quick glance reveals that women are represented half as much in STEM professions (25%) as they are in the workforce, while rarer yet in engineering and computer and mathematical sciences. From associates to doctorate, women are much less likely to convert their (relatively fewer) STEM degrees into a career in the field, where they’ll net unequal pay and less recognition. In fact, women are twice as likely to end up working in the lower-paying fields of education or healthcare with their STEM degree. Underneath this are the unconscious bias against female applicants and early ingraining of gender stereotypes.

Despite the frustrating gender dynamics at play for women in the STEM field, the biggest reason for the gender gap is too few are. Two recent studies recommend to get more women into the STEM door, widen the entrance: address narrow stereotypes about the field.

Gender, Science, and the “Brilliance” Factor

Recent research published in Science by Leslie and Cimpian found that in academia women are underrepresented in fields across science and humanities that value innate brilliance and morerepresented in those that value hard work and dedication.

Why? Because our culture still implicitly links raw, innate talent/genius/inborn ability/brilliance with men and not women.

As the Washington Post put it, “The difference between Sherlock Holmes and Hermione Granger may help explain why women don’t thrive as much as men in some fields of academia. One is brilliant by nature and the other has to work her butt off, and they represent the pervasive gender stereotypes of our age.“

Across 1,800 academics from 30 different disciplines, academia participants rated the importance of having “an innate gift or talent” or “a special aptitude that just can’t be taught” to succeed in their field versus the value of “motivation and sustained effort.” The study found the implicit emphasis put on brilliance as a success criteria predicted under-representation of women far better than other tested hypotheses. The findings extended to African-American representation, too.

The researchers clarified there’s no convincing evidence that men and women differ in capacity for brilliance, and the study can’t validate it’s actual importance in the field. “The argument is about the culture of the field,” Cimpian said. “In our current cultural climate, where women are stereotypically seen as less likely to possess these special intellectual gifts, emphasizing that those gifts are required for success is going to have a differential effect on men and women.”

Researcher Leslie shared, “Consider for example how difficult it is to think of even a single pop-culture portrayal of a woman who like Sherlock Holmes (& others)…displays that special spark of innate, unschooled genius.”

Field-specific success beliefs conspire with long-held gender stereotypes. “Any group that’s stereotyped to lack a trait that a field values is going to be underrepresented in that field,” Cimpian said.

While the gender stereotype around brilliance may be infuriating, the researchers recommend it’s the stereotype around the discipline that can easily change: downplay the importance of innate brilliance and reflect all excellence requires hard work.

“These findings suggest that academics who wish to increase the diversity of their fields should pay particular attention to the messages they send about what’s required for success,” said Leslie.

Culture Stereotypes & Computer Science

Dove-tailing the recommendation, a new research paper from Cheryan, Master, and Meltzoff asserts that to open the gates to computer science and engineering wider for women, diversify the gatekeeper stereotypes about the culture of these fields.

The article reports, “Computer science and engineering are stereotyped in modern American culture as male-oriented fields that involve social isolation, an intense focus on machinery, and inborn brilliance. These stereotypes are compatible with qualities that are typically more valued in men than women in American culture. As a result, when computer science and engineering stereotypes are salient, girls report less interest in these fields than their male peers.”

The authors acknowledge that many social constraints keep women from engineering and computer science. But they found that diversifying the way these fields are represented – the kind of people, the nature of the work, and values of the field – changes young women’s sense of interest and belonging in the field.

With no direct experience of the field, stereotypes and media representations are often what students have to go on, and they are tight and narrow. Picture a white, geeky, tech-focused, socially awkward but intellectually brilliant, pale-skinned guy with glasses who sleeps and eats science and works on his own. The researchers say cultural stereotypes like this “are perceived as incompatible with qualities that are valued in women, such as being feminine, people-oriented, and modest about one’s abilities.” Women don’t feel they belong to the culture.

The researchers argue that diversifying and broadening the stereotypes (rather than getting rid of them as they also positively draw people) attracts more women to computer science and engineering by enabling them to identify more with the fields, without deflecting male interest.

One opportunity to widen image is in media, which strongly impacts upon stereotypes. In one study women who read articles that computer science was breaking away from stereotypes were more interested in the field than those who read an article confirming them, whereas men’s interest was not affected.

A second opportunity to widen image is in more diverse exposure to the people in the field. In a previous study, Cheryan found that women’s interest was positively influenced when they interviewed a computer scientist who had non-stereotypical appearance (plain t-shirt) and preferences (eg enjoys socializing), regardless of their gender. In fact, the experience increased women’s sense they could succeed in the field compared to women who interviewed with the stereotype. Men’s sense they could succeed was not affected.

The researchers noted, “When the people in computer science depict themselves in a manner consistent with the stereotypes, it can convey to other students that one must fit the stereotypes to be successful in these fields.”

A third opportunity to widen image is around workenvironments, which reflect dominant cultural values. The researchers previously found that young women who were exposed to a room with non-stereotypical objects (nature posters vs. Star Trek, water bottles vs. soda cans, neutral books vs. science fiction books) were far more likely to express interest in pursuing computer science than those that visited a stereotypical room. This represents a sense of “ambient” belonging.

The researchers point out that while these sciences remain male-dominated cultures in which women do face obstacles, “A broader image that shows many different types of people and working environments in computer science and engineering actually represents a more realistic portrayal.” Diversifying representation of computer science helped increased female enrolment in certain universities.

Going beyond narrow cultural stereotypes in STEM widens the door to girls and women. And as more women dare to enter it, the culture will likely, if slowly, evolve too.

By Aimee Hansen

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Voice of Experience: Anne Ozimek, SVP Securities Operations, of Voya Investment

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Ozimek_Anne_ copy“Through every step of my career, I have focused on learning a set of skills and doing everything possible to meet the needs of my clients, so that when an opportunity came up, I was ready,” says Anne Ozimek, senior vice president at Voya Investment Management. “Each job will offer a different set of challenges and every one of them will prepare you for your next step.”

Ozimek’s career in the insurance and investment business has spanned many years and a wide variety of positions. As she has taken on different roles, she has always preferred those that were fast paced and required ongoing problem solving.

Her first job out of college was at The Hartford Insurance Group, where she traveled to regional offices to offer the production teams solutions to improve workflow and reduce backlogs. She became part of their management training program and held several positions before moving to Aetna. She started as a business analyst on an investment accounting system, handling the production functions, and then worked her way up to supervisor of the unit and ultimately manager – all while obtaining her MBA.

As a result of the business knowledge she acquired supporting those functions, Ozimek left that daily production role to manage a small unit of business analysts working on a large accounting system replacement project. Completing that project allowed her to enhance her project management skills, working closely with IT and the business to develop specifications, test plans, identify, document and resolve issues and then ultimately implement the new system.

Based on that work and connections she had formed, she was offered a new role putting together an institutional shareholder recordkeeping unit for what was then Aeltus Investment Management (and became ING and now Voya).

This entailed learning the functions, hiring the team and then working with IT and Client Services to develop a proprietary recordkeeping system to handle the client level transactions for the funds the firm managed. The system was in place for more than 15 years, since replaced with a new operating model where an external service provider does the recordkeeping work and other back office functions and the Voya Business Support and Operations team oversees the work. Her team’s role has thus shifted from processing to oversight, analysis and problem solving.

Having been a member of an operational team for most of her career, Ozimek relishes her collaborative role – performing the day-to-day jobs to meet client needs but also supporting huge projects. “It’s fast paced, but what I love the most is the mentality of operations. The team always displays a can-do attitude. We know that no matter what the obstacle, we can figure out a way to get it done.”

She sees the industry as being a vibrant one for years to come, as baby boomers hit retirement age and need new products and advice as they segue from the asset accumulation phase to the spending phase.

Advice for Rising Stars

Ozimek had an excellent role model of a career woman in her mom, who worked at a time when many women didn’t. That gave her a good grasp on what the corporate world was like and how to mesh home organization, occasional late working hours and family needs, all while performing at her job.

Early in her career, she recognized that you may come into situations where you work hard and yet you still don’t get the acknowledgment you want or the job you want. At that point you have to assess what happened, determine if there was anything else you could have done differently, and then move on, making sure that you are getting the skills you need and connecting with the managers and mentors who are interested in making sure you succeed. She has had some great mentors over the years.

“If you’re not in a good situation for your skill set, recognize it and make a change,” she says. “Defining your world too narrowly is not a barrier in the business but in your mindset.”

Ozimek’s own personal philosophy on getting ahead is to work hard, and make sure you’re not getting caught up in an “it’s not my job” mentality. “If you go out of your way to help other people with their issues, you become a ‘go to’ person. Then the next time you need help, others around you are more likely to reciprocate. Every time you go the extra mile, you’re building those relationships and creating a situation where people are looking out for you.”

Saying yes is another crucial factor in a successful career ascension. “So many times, when someone approaches us to do something, we find reasons to say no. Instead, we should determine if there are good reasons to say yes,” she says, adding that it’s important to try to figure out why you were asked to do something. “Don’t discount that you just might be the perfect person..”

As the industry has evolved, Ozimek is no longer the only woman in most meetings and appreciates that change. She sees the benefit of having been involved in both formal and informal mentoring programs over the years and actively works with younger associates to provide that perspective. She knows that having a mentor offers a comfort level in talking through an issue or a problem and getting advice from someone who’s been there. She urges people to speak up if they want a manager to act as their mentor or coach. “Don’t be shy about what you want.”

Away From the Office

Ozimek has been married for 37 years and has two grown sons and two daughters-in-law. On the weekends she and her husband spend as much time as they can at their second home in Vermont, joined by family and friends. “This stage is a blast,” she says, “watching the ‘kids’ make their way in their lives and careers.”

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Men Who Get It: Mike Jones, CEO, Core Consulting

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Mike Jones“As a country, we are 80 years away from gender equality.” That statistic, which was shared during the World Economic Forum, caught Mike Jones’ attention, because as he says, “If that’s true, I won’t live to see it.”

Jones is CEO of Core Consulting, a technology and management consulting firm. His personal mission is reflected in the company motto: “Have a positive impact on the lives of others – do that and you’ll be ok.”

Jones’ varied career spans from his early years in banking to a stint in IT for an international insurance company to eight years with a large consumer electronics retailer. Along the way, he has had numerous career-defining moments that have underscored the importance of increasing gender equality.

He recalls an incident in the early 1980s when the bank president took a female loan officer to a customer lunch. The customer later called and said “If you replace my current loan officer with the woman you introduced me to, I am leaving the bank.” In Jones’ eyes, the customer was wrong, but the bank president wouldn’t stand up for his female loan officer. Jones recalls that he said that it was the customer’s choice, and the male colleague remained as the loan officer, even though the female had excellent credentials.

“Life might not be fair, but I realized that some of us could play referee and arrange the game so it’s a better playing field,” Jones said.

He sees gender inequality heightened by the lack of role models. At the electronics retailer, Jones said that only one of the 16 decision makers were women. “When she left, we became an all-male society, and we all knew we needed more balance.” He knows that the problem can be self-fulfilling. “How do we give our female middle managers someone to aspire to be and learn from? Who will they turn to for mentoring opportunities and to discuss the issues with which they are wrestling?”

A Strong Commitment to Giving Back

As a seasoned volunteer, Jones has spent ample time in the non-profit world, which he finds to be more balanced with women in key positions.

As part of his work on the board for the United Way, their Women’s Leadership Initiative held a breakfast attended by 600 women leaders. He said it was empowering to see how people will flock to support something when you establish the support mechanism.

He has also been supportive of Women in Technology, a subgroup within RichTech (Richmond Technology), which regularly meets to tackle relevant issues facing women in leadership. His company also organizes a dinner every other month that helps support and encourage women executives in technology.

Diversity in all areas is important to Jones. As he says, he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In 1990, he began working with Partnership for the Future, a non-profit that pairs CEOS with potential interns from the inner city. “We work with them to help them rise above the hand they were dealt, and give them a lift. We provide interviewing skills; match what they save dollar for dollar; help them get scholarships and essentially give them the tools they need. Many in this group would be lost if we didn’t lend a helping hand.”

Jones says he was inspired by his boss at the time to become involved. “He taught me you have to stand up for things that aren’t fair and give people a chance they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

Promoting the Best Person

At the boutique firm he leads, he tries not to draw a distinction between men and women, but always hires the best person for the job. The controller and the vice president of recruiting and staffing are women, but he says that he can only draw from the pool that he is offered, which is why he knows that women need to be reached earlier.

He sees that the problem starts young, noting that there’s a point in middle schools where boys continue to pursue STEM endeavors and girls drop out. “I believe we have to reach young women earlier in their school career if they want to be ready for the boardroom,” he says. We are seeing that young girls are lacking confidence and don’t have seat at the table. We have to start earlier, to find ways to increase and maintain their interest at a young age and in the tech and science industries and then help they see how they can be leaders like Carly Fiorina.”

A Lifelong Mentor

Mentoring is part of the fabric of Jones’ life. He is part of an organized group at the

Virginia Commonwealth University’s graduate school, where he mentors one or two students a year.

He also lends a hand to anyone who asks or with whom he interacts, particularly helping those who need an injection of confidence. “My goal is to ‘encourage greatness,’ he says, adding that he mentors anyone who transitions through his life who needs encouragement. He even compiled his advice into a book, called “Hello Old Friend,” designed as a resource for career development.

“My mentoring is mostly not part of a formal program; I just live it. People have to care,” he says.

His mantra is to exceed the Golden Rule with what he calls the “Platinum Rule,” which focuses on paying it forward.

“I have never turned away someone who wanted to network or needed a hand, because we’re all one step away from needing that help.”

Advice for other Leaders

He firmly believes that promoting diversity is everyone’s job, and that you can’t be caught up in your own myopic world. “You have to engage and listen and recognize the need and then do something about it. Be the change agenda, and have the courage to stand up for what you believe in.”

In his view, a career is composed of two halves – the first half, which is when you’re taking and learning and building, and the second, when you find out what you’re called to do.

“Everyone should have their own personal ‘why,’ and mine is to inspire others to find what inspires them. We can be both a student and a teacher at every level of our career.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Seble Tareke-Williams; Managing Director, NYC Interborough Fund; Emmes Asset Management Company LLC

Seble Tareke-Williams-thumbSeble Tareke-Williams describes her professional path as nontraditional, but each step has been vital to creating her current career, which combines her real estate investing acumen with her passion for community development.

She started her post-college career at a social policy think tank before running an economic development program at Pratt Area Community Council, a neighborhood-based community development organization. That’s when Tareke-Williams realized it was necessary to acquire solid business experience for her next career step, whether she decided to transition to the private sector or progress to a more senior management level in the nonprofit sector.

She decided the most expedient way to make a professional pivot was to earn a graduate degree in business and chose Harvard Business School because of its strong focus on leadership across disciplines, combined with the opportunity it provided to network with people across a broad spectrum of professional and cultural backgrounds. “As a career changer, I also felt it was important to attend a top-tier school; that I would benefit from that extra stamp of approval,” she says, although she adds she doesn’t think this route is necessary for everyone.

While at Harvard, Tareke-Williams was named a fellow by the Robert Toigo Foundation, which works to advance the development and careers of minority MBA talent seeking careers in finance. Toigo allowed her to build a greater network with peers across business schools. “Toigo has such a great reputation in the industry for its strong caliber of fellows so I felt the Foundation offered an extra level of credibility.” She says the Toigo Foundation was influential in landing her internship at GE, and later for the number of interviews it helped coordinate, including with Emmes, where she has been since graduation.

I find that women are naturally bolder when we’re representing the interests of others, including our firms’, because it’s how we’re built. We feel more comfortable in that role. But we need to exude that same level of confidence and boldness when representing our own interests

Real Estate Fund Combines Her Interest in the Public and Private Sectors

Tareke-Williams decided to focus on real estate based on the exposure she had received at the community development organization prior to business school.

Emmes acquires, manages and sells commercial real estate on behalf of institutional partners, primarily domestic pension funds. While at Emmes, she’s been involved in asset management, capital raising and acquisitions and takes pride in the depth and range of her professional experience.

“The diversity of assignments I’ve undertaken has made me a better leader; it’s allowed me to be able to have meaningful context when making decisions. And ultimately, that’s just as important as your innate abilities. Your experiences are what make you an expert in your field.”

She currently manages the Emmes Interborough Fund that is solely focused on markets across New York City that have historically lacked institutional investment, namely Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and pockets of Manhattan.

“When you think about the attributes of these markets within the context of the entire United States, there are tremendously positive fundamentals, including density and cultural value.

“I’m going back to my professional roots as we bring institutional dollars to these markets. It’s exciting to think about the economic development implications of investing in these markets, while still working within the private sector,” says Tareke-Williams.  She notes that while the primary goal, of course, is to make money on behalf of pensioners who are investing, there is also the secondary positive impact on these communities. “It is a great marriage of the two phases of my career.”

She finds the real estate industry to be in a fascinating phase given several economic trends such as technological growth. Technology is changing where and how people work: technology increases worker mobility and productivity which impact space utilization as, for example, the average square footage dedicated per worker is decreasing. And the growth of technology firms, as well as other high-growth industries like media, are attracting workforces that value working and living in culturally relevant urban markets that foster creativity and business development such as the ones that the Emmes Interborough Fund invests in.   These residential population and workforce shifts are creating resurgence in the outer boroughs of New York City.

“Real estate is fascinating because it touches every aspect of your life- where you live, work, and play.”

Confidence Will Lead to Success

Tareke-Williams knows that the No. 1 asset a professional needs is confidence – in your own work, ideas and perspective.

“I find that women are naturally bolder when we’re representing the interests of others, including our firms’, because it’s how we’re built. We feel more comfortable in that role. But we need to exude that same level of confidence and boldness when representing our own interests,” she says.

She notes that the men with whom she interfaces are more transparent about their own interests – they tend to be clear about their personal intentions, including making money. She finds they’re not shy about it, and in return they more often get what they want.

“When we represent ourselves well internally, that also raises our value to the firm. The assumption being that if you can represent yourself well, that you will also represent the firm with conviction.”

Striving for Balance – In All Areas

Though her company, as a boutique firm, doesn’t lend itself to having robust, scaled programs dedicated to diversity, she has always felt supported by the firm’s leadership who encourage her to develop and retain a strong external support network. She is active in WX, a group of women executives in real estate, as well as the Toigo Foundation.

Tareke-Williams has three daughters, soon to be ages two, four and seven. She spends as much time with them as she can, but considers balance to be about more than work and family. She is proud to have come full circle and be engaged at a deep level as the board chair of the non-profit where she worked prior to business school. “No matter how busy I am with my work and family, I won’t feel complete unless I’m also involved in community.”

And even with all that on her plate – or maybe especially because she has all that on her plate — Tareke-Williams knows that she has to make a little time for herself. She does that through training for races and is especially looking forward to an upcoming all-women half-marathon.

By Cathie Ericson

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6 Ways To Refine And Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

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Guest Contribution by Jennifer Bradshaw

One way of gaining exposure when looking to advance at work is to put your back into it and drag yourself out in the open, into the spotlight.

Now, if you ask me, “how can someone hog the entire spotlight when there are already plenty of entertainers on the stage”, I would say, ‘optimize your presence’. How would I do that? Use social media like LinkedIn!

Being home to over 290 million users all over the world, LinkedIn connect individuals with the professional world, giving them a chance to embrace professional exposure and growth. Yet, according to a survey, only 50.5% of the total users make the most of LinkedIn. What about the rest? Well, the rest of the flock is still missing out on the goodies LinkedIn has to offer since they are just too lazy to optimize their profile.

LinkedIn is a pretty powerful network, but that dominance can only be leveraged to your advantage if only are you aware of its KEY hidden tricks that bring actual results. Here, I will reveal those tricks and educate you how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, aka digital resume, empowering you to make the most of this valuable professional hub.

Customize that Inappropriate Profile URL
It is important to understand that the majority of prospective recruiters, these days, use search engine in their quest to finding the right employee. However, they often fail to do so because some individuals (even well-experienced and skilled ones) totally forget or ignore to optimize their LinkedIn URL. If you don’t want to lose a lucrative opportunity, you need to replace those confusing numbers at the end of your profile URL with your name.

Replace Your Funky Display Pic with an Appropriate Image
Don’t forget that LinkedIn isn’t your social profile, but a professional portfolio. Thus, strip down that inappropriate or funky looking selfie of yours and replace it with a professional portrait. Remember that the first thing that grabs the roving eyes of the employer is your DP. If it is exuding professionalism, the employer won’t hesitate to call you for an interview that very instant. However, if it reflects otherwise, the employer won’t bother to review the rest of the profile.

Make the Best Use of the Headline
Next thing that can be said as the epicenter of your profile success is the headline, written under your original name. It is the area that gives you an opportunity to make your profile standout from the crowd. Brand that headline and make it appealing so that the prospective employer may know who he is dealing with. Make that headline descriptive and use multiple titles to cover the keyword that recruiters usually use to seek candidates.

Expand the Headline Articulately in the Summary
The summary section of your profile reflects the essence of who you are, where your skills and expertise lie and what accomplishments you have attained so far. In other words, it is an area where you stretch out and present all the information that makes you a ‘must-hire’ for a company. Hence, keep it neat, simple, clear and engaging; yet, don’t go overboard with the décor.

Amplify the Credibility of Your Profile with Endorsements
Unlike a traditional paper resume, LinkedIn allows you to not only list down all your skills but also get them endorsed by your connections and thus add credibility to your digital profile. Though it may not be much helpful when it comes to the optimization of your profile, it can certainly generate an air of integrity in your profile that employers most seek.

Take That Credibility to Even Great Heights with Recommendations
Recommendations can be considered as testimonials as well as references, either way they are valuable. It is the feedback on your character, personality, work skills and attitude by people who either know for a long time or have worked with you. Ask recommendations in your connection and don’t forget to return them the favor by recommending them.

Jenifer Bradshaw is a developer and a writer. She assists students in choosing the right career path. She also provides assignment help to students facing problems with their coding assignment. Find her on Facebook.

Guest advice and opinions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com

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